Forming university social capital: Ural Federal University case

Abstract

The specifics of forming university’s social capital as a system of social ties, norms of interaction, and trust that arise in interpersonal and professional spaces has been considered. The purpose of the study is to expand the conceptual provisions of the social capital theory in relation to university development in the context of the resource-institutional approach. It has been proved that social capital as a communication resource is transformed into desired results under the influence of institutional factors (moral, legal, and economic norms and customs governing the activities of people and organizations), which allows the subjects of various relations to benefit. A model transforming internal and external university communications (intangible elements of social capital) into practical results (publications, technologies, inventions, and projects) that form the final performance indicators for education, science, innovation, entrepreneurship, and the “third mission” has been presented. The key directions of social capital development have been demonstrated using the example of the Ural Federal University, the importance of strategic partnership with representatives of science and business, stimulating research and innovative entrepreneurial activities of employees, maintaining long-term relationships with graduates, and forming a social culture in the professional environment of the university has been noted. The study showed the reciprocal impact of social capital on the university’s activities. On the one hand, social resources materialize into performance indicators and competitive advantages, and on the other, the results achieved make it possible to improve the mechanisms of social capital accumulation (employee motivation, communication technologies among stakeholders).